How to Create and Fix LinkedIn Carousel Posts in 2023 (Plus Canva How-To)

LinkedIn carousel posts offer a unique opportunity to showcase products, share insights, and engage with audiences more creatively and effectively, but people make a common mistake when trying to upload them: Using the the wrong file type.

LinkedIn carousels are different from Instagram carousels in their format, audience, and purpose. While Instagram carousels are more casual and visually focused, LinkedIn carousels are tailored for a professional audience, often incorporating informative and industry-specific content. They are a fantastic way to boost your brand awareness, with the ability to share multiple slides of content within one post, each slide offering a new opportunity to engage your audience.

However, creating a LinkedIn carousel post or fixing issues such as the carousel not displaying correctly can often be challenging. In this blog post, I will guide you on how to create a LinkedIn carousel post for free in Canva, troubleshoot common problems with aspect ratios and file types, and share best practices to ensure your carousel post looks great and performs even better. So, let’s dive in and start creating!

The Difference Between Instagram and LinkedIn Carousels

When it comes to carousel posts, one size doesn’t fit all. Understanding the key differences between Instagram and LinkedIn carousels is crucial to ensure you’re effectively communicating with your audience.

Instagram, a visually-oriented platform, focuses on personal and lifestyle content. Its carousels allow you to share a series of images or videos in a single post, perfect for showcasing products, telling a story, or creating a mini photo album. The primary aim here is to captivate the audience with aesthetically appealing visuals and engaging content. Though, many professionals have started to use the carousel format to teach with short, text-based posts.

On the other hand, LinkedIn is a professional networking platform. It is primarily used by businesses, professionals, and influencers to build their professional brands online, make connections, and engage with a more professional audience. LinkedIn carousel posts typically contain informative and industry-specific content, often presented in the form of slides, much like a PowerPoint presentation.

Here’s where LinkedIn carousel posts truly shine: With every slide impression on a LinkedIn carousel post, your name, profile picture, and subline (typically your job title or unique selling proposition) are displayed. This feature provides an excellent opportunity to reinforce your personal or professional brand with each slide, increasing your visibility and brand recognition.

Moreover, contrary to popular belief, there is no strict 10-slide limit for LinkedIn carousel posts. This myth will be debunked in detail later in this post, but suffice it to say, LinkedIn carousel posts offer a flexible format for sharing content that goes beyond the typical constraints.

While the format for both Instagram and LinkedIn carousels is similar – multiple images or slides within a single post – the presentation and upload steps are distinctly different. If you try to repost your instagram Carousel images to LinkedIn, you probably won’t get a proper LinkedIn carousel display.

In the next section, we will discuss the advantages of using LinkedIn carousels for brand awareness and how you can leverage this format for maximum impact.

The Power of LinkedIn Carousels for Brand Awareness

In today’s digital age, where the average attention span is just a few seconds, capturing and retaining audience interest is a challenging task. This is where LinkedIn carousel posts can be a game-changer for your brand.

1. Versatile Format: LinkedIn carousel posts offer a unique opportunity to present a variety of content types within a single post. Whether it’s a series of infographics, step-by-step guides, product showcases, or even a mini e-book, the possibilities are endless. This versatility enables you to share more nuanced, complex messages that stand out and engage your audience in a more meaningful way.
2. Narrative Storytelling: Unlike static posts, carousels allow for sequential storytelling. By building a narrative across multiple slides, you can guide the audience through a journey, making your content more engaging and memorable. This is an excellent way to explain intricate concepts, showcase a product’s features, or tell your brand’s story.
3. Increased Engagement: LinkedIn carousel posts invite users to interact with your content actively. The action of swiping through slides is engagement in and of itself, and multiple slides can lead to higher dwell times and interactions compared to static posts.
4. Multiple Impressions: As mentioned earlier, each slide in a LinkedIn carousel displays your name, profile picture, and subline. This means that with every swipe, you get another chance to reinforce your face and brand, increasing the likelihood of being remembered. This feature is exclusive to LinkedIn and offers an unparalleled advantage for brand visibility.
5. Analytics: LinkedIn provides detailed analytics for carousel posts, such as clicks, impressions, and swipe-through rates for each slide. You can also see when someone visits your profile after liking or commenting on your carousel post. This data can offer valuable insights into your audience’s preferences and engagement patterns, helping you refine your content strategy over time. It can also give you clues as to who to do some Digital Doorknocking with to maximize your LinkedIn growth.

In short, LinkedIn carousels provide a dynamic and engaging way to deliver value to your audience, reinforce your brand, and gain insights into your audience’s behavior. They present a unique opportunity to stand out in a crowded digital space, giving your brand the recognition it deserves. In the next section, you’ll get to see how to make LinkedIn Carousels in Canva. 

How to Create a LinkedIn Carousel Post in Canva

Creating a LinkedIn carousel post using Canva is a straightforward process, even for those who may not have much graphic design experience. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to create a LinkedIn carousel post using this fantastic design tool:

• Sign Up or Log In to Canva: If you don’t already have a Canva account, you’ll need to create one. It’s a quick and easy process, and you can sign up for free.
• Select the Right Dimensions: In Canva’s homepage, click on the “Create a design” button in the upper-right corner. Search for “LinkedIn Carousel” or enter the custom dimensions 1200px by 1500px.
• Design Your Slides: You’ll now have a blank canvas to start creating your carousel slides. Add text, images, icons, and other elements as needed. Remember to keep your design consistent across all slides to provide a seamless experience for the viewer.
• Use Templates: If you’re unsure about your design skills or need some inspiration, Canva offers a variety of templates that you can use as a starting point. Just search for “LinkedIn carousel” in the templates search bar.
• Create Additional Slides: Once you’re happy with the design of your first slide, you can duplicate it to maintain the same format and design elements. Simply click on the “Duplicate page” button on the right-hand side of your screen. Edit the content for each slide as necessary.
• Download Your Slides: Once you’re done designing all your slides, click on the “Download” button in the top-right corner. Be sure to download each slide as a separate PNG or JPEG file.
• Post on LinkedIn: Now, go to LinkedIn and start a new post. Click on the camera icon and select all the images you want to include in your carousel. Make sure you upload the images in the correct order. Write a compelling caption, and click “Post.”

Remember, LinkedIn does not limit carousel posts to just 10 slides. This is a common myth. You can add as many slides as you need to effectively communicate your message.

Below is a video tutorial that shows the correct way to export for LinkedIn Carousels:

Creating a LinkedIn carousel post with Canva might require a bit of practice initially. But with time, you’ll find it to be an easy and effective way to create engaging content for your LinkedIn audience. In the next section, we’ll discuss some common issues you might encounter with LinkedIn carousels and how to fix them.

How to Resize an Instagram Carousel for LinkedIn

If you have already created an Instagram carousel on Canva and want to repurpose it for LinkedIn, you’re in luck. The process is quite straightforward, and you can take advantage of the flexibility LinkedIn offers with carousel posts by adding more slides if needed. Here’s a step-by-step guide and a 10-minute Canva Tutorial for LinkedIn Carousels (YouTube)

1. Open Your Instagram Carousel Design: Log in to your Canva account and open the Instagram carousel design that you want to repurpose.
2. Resize Your Design: LinkedIn carousel posts are ideally 1080px x 1080px, the same size as Instagram carousels. Therefore, you won’t need to adjust the size. However, if your Instagram carousel was created with a different size, you can resize your design using Canva’s “Resize” feature. Click on the “Resize” button at the top of the page, enter the new dimensions (1080px x 1080px), and click “Copy & resize.” A new page with the resized design will open.
3. Review and Arrange Your Slides: Ensure that all slides are in the order you want them to display on LinkedIn. Remove any slides you do not want to appear in your LinkedIn post. Remember, unlike Instagram, LinkedIn does not have a 10-slide limit for carousels, so feel free to add more slides at this time if you’d like.
4. Export as PDF: Once you’re satisfied with your design and the order of your slides, it’s time to download your design. Click on the “Download” button in the top right corner. In the “File type” drop-down menu, select “PDF Standard.” This will download all the slides in one PDF file.
5. Post on LinkedIn: Head over to LinkedIn, start a new post, and click “post a document.” Add a captivating caption, and you’re good to go!

Repurposing your Instagram carousel for LinkedIn is a smart way to maximize your content. Just make sure the content is appropriate and relevant for your LinkedIn audience. In the next section, we’ll delve into some common issues that you may encounter with LinkedIn carousels and how to address them.

How to Add More Than 10 Images to a LinkedIn Carousel

The power of LinkedIn carousel posts lies in their ability to display multiple images or slides, providing a more engaging and interactive experience for your audience. Contrary to popular belief, LinkedIn carousel posts do not have a 10-slide maximum limit. Here’s how you can add more than 10 images to your LinkedIn carousel:

Step 1: Prepare Your Images in Canva: Create your individual slides in Canva. Remember, each slide should be 1080 x 1080 pixels. Design as many slides as you want for your post.

Step 2: Order Your Slides: Make sure your slides are in the order you want them to appear on LinkedIn. This is important because you cannot reorder slides once they’re uploaded to LinkedIn.

Step 3: Export as PDF: Once you’re satisfied with your design, click on ‘Download’ at the top right corner of your Canva workspace. In the file type options, select ‘PDF Standard.’ This will download all your slides as a single PDF file.

Step 4: Upload to LinkedIn: Go to your LinkedIn feed and click on ‘Start a post.’ Then, click on the ‘Document’ icon. Select the PDF file you downloaded from Canva. LinkedIn will automatically convert each page of your PDF into a slide, allowing you to create a carousel post with more than 10 images.

Step 5: Review and Post: Before you post, review your carousel to make sure everything looks as you intended. Remember, you can’t reorder or remove individual slides after you’ve uploaded the document. If everything looks good, add your caption, tags, and hit ‘Post.’

And that’s it! You’ve just created a LinkedIn carousel post with more than 10 images. By debunking the 10-slide myth, you can now leverage the power of extended storytelling through LinkedIn carousel posts.

Why LinkedIn Carousel Isn’t Displaying Correctly and How to Fix It

While LinkedIn carousels offer a dynamic and engaging way to present your content, there can be occasional hiccups where your carousel doesn’t display correctly. This can be due to various factors like incorrect image size, improper file type, or a bug on LinkedIn’s side. Let’s discuss some common issues and their solutions:

Carousel not showing at all

If your carousel post is not showing up as a carousel but instead as individual images, it may be because you uploaded images and not a document. Create the post again but choose the “Add A Document” option, and upload your carousel files as a single PDF.

Wrong file type

LinkedIn carousel posts are different from image posts! With an image post, you can’t upload more than 10 images and the final display will be a grid, not a carousel.  Instead, you need to export your carousel images as a PDF and upload that PDF as a document when creating your LinkedIn post.

Can’t find where to upload carousel post

If you can’t figure out where to create a LinkedIn carousel post, follow these steps:

• In the “Start a post” section at the top of your LinkedIn feed page, click on the “Document” icon.
• A pop-up window will appear. Select the PDF you want to upload for your carousel post. Remember, each page of your PDF will be one slide of your carousel.
• Once your PDF is uploaded, add a title and description to your post. The description will be the main text of your post, so make sure it’s engaging and encourages people to swipe through your carousel.
• When you’re ready, click “Post” to share your carousel post with your network.

Incorrect image size

LinkedIn carousels can vary in size, but it 1200px by 1500px is the recommended display size. This aspect ratio is different than the 1:1 or 3:4 you might be using for carousel posts on other platforms. Try resizing your carousel project and uploading again.

LinkedIn glitches

Sometimes, LinkedIn might have bugs that prevent your carousel from displaying correctly. If you’ve followed all the guidelines and your carousel post still isn’t displaying as it should, try deleting the post and uploading it again.

Knowing how to troubleshoot these common issues will ensure that your LinkedIn carousel posts display correctly, thus maximizing their potential to engage your audience. In the next section, we’ll share more tips for optimizing your LinkedIn carousels for success.

LinkedIn Carousel Best Practices

Creating an engaging and compelling LinkedIn carousel post goes beyond just understanding how to create one. Here are some best practices you should follow in addition to using the correct format and file size:

1. Start with a Strong First Slide: The first slide should capture the attention of the viewer. It could be a compelling headline, a beautiful graphic, or a thought-provoking question. Your goal is to make viewers want to swipe to the next slide.
2. Maintain a Clear Narrative: Each slide should lead naturally to the next, creating a storyline or flow. This encourages users to keep swiping to see what comes next.
3. Keep Text to a Minimum: LinkedIn carousels are visual content. Too much text can make your slides appear cluttered and confusing. Use short, concise sentences or phrases to get your point across.
4. Use High-Quality Images: High-quality images give your carousel a professional look and can help draw in viewers. Make sure your images are clear, not pixelated, and fit well within the slide.
5. Include a Call to Action (CTA): Encourage your audience to take action after viewing your carousel. This could be asking them to visit your website, sign up for a webinar, download a resource, or even just to like and share the post. Your CTA should be clear and compelling.
6. Optimize for Mobile: LinkedIn users are increasingly accessing the platform via their mobile devices. Ensure your text is large enough to read and your images clear enough to view on smaller screens.

Remember, the best way to understand what works and what doesn’t is to experiment with different types of content, track your performance, and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Next Steps

From creating your carousel post in Canva to troubleshooting display issues, you’re now equipped with the knowledge to effectively use this feature. As we debunked the myth, you know there is no 10-slide limit to your LinkedIn carousels, opening a new world of extended storytelling possibilities.

Remember, the key to successful LinkedIn carousel posts is in the details: the right size, the correct format, a captivating design, and a strategic use of keywords in your captions.

And don’t forget, you can always repurpose your Instagram carousels for LinkedIn, taking full advantage of Canva’s user-friendly design features.

In this ever-evolving digital world, it’s important to stay updated with the latest trends and techniques. So, as you continue your journey in the world of LinkedIn marketing, I’d like to invite you to connect with me on LinkedIn. I regularly share tips and updates on social media marketing that you might find helpful.

Also, be sure to check out my Digital Doorknocking guide. It’s packed with more in-depth strategies to help you effectively reach out to your target audience and make meaningful connections in the digital sphere.

Thank you for reading, and I look forward to connecting together on LinkedIn. Happy carousel posting!